NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY SHOW 2015

Posted: Feb 9, 2016

FANTASTIC turn out of recovery vehicles

BRILLIANT showground

FANTASTIC recovery competition

BRILLIANT rrra food

I’d been to the showground 3 weeks earlier for two reasons, one was to see where the RRRA would be for the actual show and the other was to meet the organiser. This visit went well.

On Friday, set up day, there is me thinking now, I know where I am going – Wrong! I got completely disorientated and ended up the wrong side of the showground. I had to double back on myself and find security and ask – feeling an idiot when they tell me to look behind me as I was nearly parked at our stand.

Marquee was up already with tables and chairs stacked. Pete & Alva Mason turned up and we set up the tables and chairs – now just waiting now for the equipment from Regal to arrive, which Shaun brought around 11am. All systems go now, Peter, Alva and myself set up everything in the marquee/gazebo whilst Shaun was left to put the barriers up for the recovery operators competition. At around 3pm, no electric supply or bain maries so put a call out to both. Bain Marie delivered at 4pm and electric supply finally connect by 4.45pm. During the afternoon, a couple of recovery companies arrived and set up.

Time for me to disappear off home and start the baking of the jacket potatos for Saturday.

Saturday, I arrived on site at 6.30am. By the time I arrived, my car smelt of jacket potatoes as they were still warm but needed to keep them warm for lunch, so the bain marie came in useful. Fired up the kettles for hot drinks, and griddles and started on the breakfasts. As soon as the smell of bacon & sausages wafts outside, the chaps do come in the gazebo for their bacon or sausage roll. Around 2.5 hours of serving breakfasts, time to pack up and start on the lunches – jacket potato with a choice of filling and salad and cake.

Mel Biebly-Bell knows I love cake, she had made one and brought it with her and around 11 am-ish, she called me over to their mobile home, made me a cuppa and gave me the last piece of her strawberry cake – it was yummy.

The Recovery Operators competition had started, using a Slide bed and spec lift.

All in all it went well, there were at least 7 doing the slidebed and same for spec lift.

There was a flypast on the Saturday with a Lancaster Bomber, then I was told it was not, but no one seemed to know what the plane was. Does anyone know who was there?

The weather, overcast and very windy but the Sunday was better with the sun coming out between the clouds.

Sunday’s flypast was a spitfire.

The judging of the vehicles was complete by mid-day and results of the recovery operators competiion were in.

After lunch, it was presentation time. Mr Jonathan Dale CEO of FoVRA gave a talk, then presented the awards

RRRA Chairman – Shaun Coole introducing Mr Jonathan Dale of FoVRA.

Trophies of Best category:

Best Light Recovery – Direct Cars

Best Medium Recovery – Tears Recovery

Best Heavy Recovery – Stathams Recovery

Special Award – Heavyhaul (Chelmsford) ltd for biggest fleet at show and furthest travelled.

Recovery Operators Competition

Slidebed Winners

1^st place Paul Smith of Regal Contracts in a time of 6 minutes 30 seconds –

Presented with £70, a 1^st place cup, and a shield which will be engraved

2^nd place Jason Richardson of Autohome in a time of 6 minutes 46 seconds

Presented with £50 and a 2^nd place cup

3^rd place Keith Candler of Stathams Recovery in a time of 7 minues and 42 seconds

Presented with £30 and a 3^rd place cup

Spec Lift Winners

1^st place Paul Smith of Regal Contracts in a time of 4 minutes 53 seconds

Presented with £70, a 1^st place cup, and a shield which will be engraved

2^nd place Jason Richardson of Autohome in a time of 5 minutes 37 seconds

Presented with £50 and a 2^nd place cup

3^rd place Dave Doig of Direct Cars in a time of 8minutes and 54 seconds

Presented with £30 and a 3^rd place cup.

If anyone think’s they can do better than these times, come along to the show next year and have a go. We challenge you!

With previous shows, after the awards we have tended to pack up and make our way off the showground – not this year. We didnt really start to pack away until around 4 – 4.30pm ish. Entry onto and off the showground was perfect – no hold ups, on solid ground, easy access.

Companies attended:

Adept Recovery

Autohome

Regal Contracts

Hampsons Recovery

V G Nash & Son

Heavyhaul (Chelmsford) Ltd

G V S Recovery

Jon Beech Recovery

Tears Recovery

Bell Trucks

Direct Cars

Quickmission Recovery

Stathams Recovery

SAMS of Heckington

Tinda-Lee

Manchetts Recovery

Guests:

Mr Jonathan Dale - FoVRA

Mr Dave Gregory – Professional Recovery

Sponsors:

Green Flag

Towergate

Dave Bland Engineering

Cardno Ltd

Boniface Engineering

And finally at this years show, at breakfast time we asked for donations and over the two days £85 was collected which was given to Life Education – see thank you letter below.

Next year’s show is on 14^th and 15^th May 2016, so start thinking about coming to the show and any ideas about what the RRRA can do at the show next year – get them into the office.

The National Council for 2016 are looking at providing some form of entertainment during the two evenings at the show. I will keep you posted on this as and when things develop – and if you have any ideas, they would be welcome.